Russia-Ukraine war: Everton suspends sponsorships with Russian companies

Everton have suspended all commercial sponsorship arrangements with the Russian companies USM Holdings, MegaFon and Yota with immediate effect as a result of Russia`s invasion of Ukraine, the Premier League club said on Wednesday.

USM Holdings and MegaFon are linked to billionaire and oligarch Alisher Usmanov, who was sanctioned by the European Union for Russia`s invasion of Ukraine. Mobile virtual network operator Yota is part of the MegaFon Group.

Everton had agreed a 30 million pounds ($39.97 million) naming rights deal with Usmanov for their proposed new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium back in 2020. His holding company USM has sponsored Everton`s Finch Farm training ground since 2017.

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"Everyone at Everton remains shocked and saddened by the appalling events unfolding in Ukraine," Everton said in a statement.

"This tragic situation must end as soon as possible, and any further loss of life must be avoided."

Usmanov previously had a 30% stake in Arsenal but sold it to American Stan Kroenke in 2018.

Everton manager Frank Lampard was asked in his pre-match news conference on Thursday whether he had met Usmanov when being interviewed for the job in January.

"Those reports were inaccurate. My interview was with the board: Mr (Farhad) Moshiri, the chairman, Denise (Barrett-Baxendale the CEO and the board -- not with Mr Usmanov."

Lampard, who replaced Rafa Benitez as manager, said he had "absolute faith" that the club would make the right decisions over its sponsorships.

"We were one of the forerunners in showing solidarity and unity. The suspension was the right thing to do, it`s important I focus on the football," he told a news conference.

"If it feels right for the club, it`s the right thing to do. That`s a club decision. As a coach, member of staff -- our jobs haven`t changed. We have a deep empathy and emotion to what`s happening in the world."

Everton`s players entered the pitch draped in Ukrainian flags for their Premier League game against Manchester City on Saturday when Vitaliy Mykolenko embraced Manchester City`s Oleksandr Zinchenko, a fellow Ukraine national.

Everton said they continued to provide "full support" to their defender and his family.

Mykolenko did not play in the game against City but Lampard said he would feature in the FA Cup fifth round match against Boreham Wood on Thursday.

"He will play tomorrow. That was a decision I`d made regardless of the outside situation," Lampard said.

"You have to be aware of the life decision for him in the moment. The conversations I`ve had, I`d rather keep quiet because they are delicate. He`s a new player here, he has all our support."